Scots getting fatter, survey says

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25 October 2011 Last updated at 14:43 GMT Statistics suggest 65% of adults in Scotland are overweight More than a quarter of adults in Scotland are obese, according to official figures.

Statistics from the Scottish Health Survey suggested 27% of people between the ages of 16 and 64 were obese in 2010.

The Scottish Health Survey said it continued the upward trend from just 17% in 1995.

The survey, produced for the Scottish government, said it was predicted that obesity rates could reach 40% by 2030.

The figure for the number of adults deemed to be overweight (with a body mass index greater than 25) was now 65%, the survey said.

The percentage of overweight men (67.8%) was significantly higher than women (62.4%).

The survey follows the launch of the government's action plan to tackle obesity in March.

A Scottish government spokesman said: "Our action plan published earlier this year sets out actions being taken to change the environment in which we live to make it easier for everyone to make healthy choices, including eating more fruit and vegetables and less salt, fat and added sugar and becoming more active.

"We have introduced a range of measures to improve diet and are spending over £7.5m in the next three years on projects to encourage healthy eating."

The spokesman added: "As part of this we are working closely with the food industry, including manufacturers, retailers and the hospitality sector to reduce the saturated fat content of products and build on the positive steps they have been making over the last few years on the promotion of healthier, less energy dense food."

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Scots booze deal ban introduced

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AppId is over the quota
1 October 2011 Last updated at 14:13 GMT Retailers with no longer be able to offer discounts to those bulk buying alcohol New laws have come into force banning "irresponsible" drinks promotions by retailers in Scotland.

Shops and supermarkets can no longer make offers such as buy-one-get-one-free and multi-buy discounts on wine.

The Alcohol Scotland Act also restricts alcohol advertising around premises, and brings in age verification checks and a new tax on some licence holders.

Tesco has told customers they will still get wine offers online because it will dispatch orders from England.

The act, passed at Holyrood last year, prevents retailers from offer deals to customers who buy in bulk.

The tax, called a social responsibility levy, aims to ensure retailers and licensed premises, such as nightclubs, contribute to the wider cost of their activities on the community.

Minimum pricing

MSPs have warned that other retailers may remove discounts for quantity but may instead sell single bottles of alcohol for the same discount price.

Instead of three bottles of wine for £10 they may sell one bottle for £3.33.

But Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon insisted the ban on multi-buy deals would cut alcohol consumption.

She said: "I have had it put to me that supermarkets will reduce the cost of a bottle of wine as a response to this.

"Now minimum pricing of course would have an effect there and we intend to bring back our bill on that.

"But if somebody is going to buy one bottle of wine, as they intended to do when they went into the supermarket, instead of three bottles, that they are tempted to buy because it is on offer, then that is helping us reduce alcohol over-consumption."

Sales rise

In August this year a NHS Scotland report revealed that adults in Scotland were consuming 23% more alcohol than adults in England and Wales.

Wine accounted for the largest rise in consumption, with sales more than doubling since the mid 1990s.

The Scottish government plans to go further in its bid to tackle Scotland's drinking culture by re-introducing minimum alcohol pricing proposals previously blocked by opposition parties.

In January the UK government unveiled plans to set a minimum price for alcohol in England and Wales and calls have also been made for a similar measure to be introduced in Northern Ireland.

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Scots nurses fear job insecurity

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AppId is over the quota
25 September 2011 Last updated at 23:10 GMT The Royal College of Nursing say the workforce in Scotland is at "breaking point" Fewer than a third of Scotland's nurses feel the profession offers a secure job, the Royal College of Nursing says.

Its survey of 700 nurses and health care support workers found 30% felt secure, compared with 82% in 2009.

RCN director Theresa Fyffe said Scotland's nurses are under "immense pressure" due to financial worries and that morale is "plummeting".

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said government would do "everything in its power to support the NHS".

Other findings included 38% of respondents saying they would recommend nursing as a career, compared with 54% two years previously.

Almost three quarters of those surveyed believed stress had increased at work.

Continue reading the main story

We need a vision for our NHS which sets out how services can be delivered more efficiently without placing an unacceptable burden on nursing staff”

End Quote Theresa Fyffe RCN director Two thirds are more worried about job cuts and possible redundancy than a year ago and 68% said financial concerns had increased since 2010.

'Warning shot'

Director of RCN Scotland Theresa Fyffe said: "Given the continuing cuts to the nursing workforce, prolonged pay freeze and planned pension increases, it is no surprise that the morale of nurses and health care support workers in our NHS is plummeting.

"While the impact of such pressures could be expected, it doesn't mean the situation should continue. If action is not taken and stress continues to increase, standards in patient care will begin to fall.

"The survey was carried out before it was confirmed in this week's Scottish budget that pay for NHS staff earning over £21,000 is to be frozen for a second year, so it is likely that the financial pressure on our members will increase even further.

"The survey's findings should fire a warning shot across the bows, for the Scottish Government and NHS managers alike.

"Our nursing workforce is at breaking point and the tactic of cutting posts in an uncoordinated manner is simply not working.

"We need a vision for our NHS which sets out how services can be delivered more efficiently without placing an unacceptable burden on nursing staff, the very backbone of health services in Scotland."

Last month, Scottish government figures showed an increase in the number of nursing posts being lost across NHS Scotland with staff numbers at their lowest level since 2006.

Ms Sturgeon said: "Our nurses do a fantastic job. I know how tough a job it is and they have my thanks and appreciation at all times.

"The current financial and economic climate is having an impact on all sections of society.

"Firstly, we have fulfilled our commitment to pass on the health Barnett consequentials to the NHS in Scotland in full. Over the next three years, health board budgets will rise in real terms, reflecting our commitment to frontline services.

"Secondly, I have made it clear that, as the size and shape of the NHS workforce changes to reflect changing patterns of care, we must work in partnership with staff to ensure that quality of care remains the top priority.

"The RCN knows that my door is always open to them to discuss these issues. And thirdly, we have made clear that a key objective of our pay policy is to preserve jobs as much as possible.

"We have now committed to maintaining our policy of no compulsory redundancies for a further year, precisely to give workers, like nurses, who do difficult and stressful jobs, the job security that they deserve."

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Scots nurses fear job insecurity

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
25 September 2011 Last updated at 23:10 GMT The Royal College of Nursing say the workforce in Scotland is at "breaking point" Fewer than a third of Scotland's nurses feel the profession offers a secure job, the Royal College of Nursing says.

Its survey of 700 nurses and health care support workers found 30% felt secure, compared with 82% in 2009.

RCN director Theresa Fyffe said Scotland's nurses are under "immense pressure" due to financial worries and that morale is "plummeting".

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said government would do "everything in its power to support the NHS".

Other findings included 38% of respondents saying they would recommend nursing as a career, compared with 54% two years previously.

Almost three quarters of those surveyed believed stress had increased at work.

Continue reading the main story

We need a vision for our NHS which sets out how services can be delivered more efficiently without placing an unacceptable burden on nursing staff”

End Quote Theresa Fyffe RCN director Two thirds are more worried about job cuts and possible redundancy than a year ago and 68% said financial concerns had increased since 2010.

'Warning shot'

Director of RCN Scotland Theresa Fyffe said: "Given the continuing cuts to the nursing workforce, prolonged pay freeze and planned pension increases, it is no surprise that the morale of nurses and health care support workers in our NHS is plummeting.

"While the impact of such pressures could be expected, it doesn't mean the situation should continue. If action is not taken and stress continues to increase, standards in patient care will begin to fall.

"The survey was carried out before it was confirmed in this week's Scottish budget that pay for NHS staff earning over £21,000 is to be frozen for a second year, so it is likely that the financial pressure on our members will increase even further.

"The survey's findings should fire a warning shot across the bows, for the Scottish Government and NHS managers alike.

"Our nursing workforce is at breaking point and the tactic of cutting posts in an uncoordinated manner is simply not working.

"We need a vision for our NHS which sets out how services can be delivered more efficiently without placing an unacceptable burden on nursing staff, the very backbone of health services in Scotland."

Last month, Scottish government figures showed an increase in the number of nursing posts being lost across NHS Scotland with staff numbers at their lowest level since 2006.

Ms Sturgeon said: "Our nurses do a fantastic job. I know how tough a job it is and they have my thanks and appreciation at all times.

"The current financial and economic climate is having an impact on all sections of society.

"Firstly, we have fulfilled our commitment to pass on the health Barnett consequentials to the NHS in Scotland in full. Over the next three years, health board budgets will rise in real terms, reflecting our commitment to frontline services.

"Secondly, I have made it clear that, as the size and shape of the NHS workforce changes to reflect changing patterns of care, we must work in partnership with staff to ensure that quality of care remains the top priority.

"The RCN knows that my door is always open to them to discuss these issues. And thirdly, we have made clear that a key objective of our pay policy is to preserve jobs as much as possible.

"We have now committed to maintaining our policy of no compulsory redundancies for a further year, precisely to give workers, like nurses, who do difficult and stressful jobs, the job security that they deserve."

View the original article here

Peliculas Online

Read More